Bear Lake Fishing near Crandon, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Bear Lake lies in Forest County, in Wisconsin. What surrounds it is pine and birch. Around 66 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. Bank access stretches around 1.5 miles in total. The town to know is Crandon, 19 miles out. Nashville lies 24 miles off, Kingsford another 29 miles. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Bear Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Species logged across Forest County include brown trout, largemouth bass and yellow perch. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Bear Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 66°F, while January sits near 11°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. Climate figures give an open season running mid April to late November. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. The season on Bear Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. A boat ramp sits half a mile away, so trailered boats can get on. You can camp about half a mile away, going by the mapping. A picnic site half a mile off makes this workable with family in tow. Facilities run to toilets half a mile from the water. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Treat Bear Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.